Honestly, I have already lost count of how many times Miyazaki Hayao has amazed me with his incredible creativity. Following in the tradition of Miyazaki's other features, Princess Mononoke is filled with all the essential ingredients you could expect in an animation of this scope including valiant heroes, man's ongoing struggle with nature, and bizarre and fantastic characters.

The tale takes place in an ancient time when the forests are protected by animals with god-like strength. Caught in the middle of the fight between the forest's guardian animals and a tribe trying to conquer the forest are San and Prince Ashitaka. The former is a girl raised by a wolf deity who does everything to battle man's invasion into the forests. Prince Ashitaka, on the other hand, is the only one able to save his village from certain destruction after it is attacked by a divine wild boar under the influence of evil spirits.

Princess Mononoke offers truly spectacular animation, from Ashitaka's suspense-filled life-like duels to the imposing stampede of furious wild boars to the beautiful presentation of the mystic forest and the shape-shifting forms of the almighty forest god, Shishi Gami. Also memorable are the supporting characters of the tale including Toki, the talkative leader of the vigorous maids in Tataraba; Jiko Bou, the money-loving henchman of Lady Eboshi; and the mysterious apes of the forest. My personal favorites, however, are still the adorable tree spirits who seem to have walked right out of a science fiction movie.

Building up to an unstoppable climax, Princess Mononoke brims with both action and excitement as well as moments of serenity. The idyllic beauty of Miyazaki's fantastic yet credible imagination is bound to capture you. Complemented with a trademark score by master composer Hisaishi Joe, Princess Mononoke is an anime of epic proportions that you are likely to view more than once.